Market Swine Grades of Swine Megan Kay Objectives

+ Market Swine & Grades of Swine Megan Kay

+ Objectives n Identify swine classes. n Define swine grades. n List characteristics of ideal swine.

+ Swine Classes n Use Classes n Swine Classes n Slaughter n Barrow n Feeder n Gilt n Sow n Boar n Stag

n In swine, quality grade is determined by quality of lean meat and yield n Quality of lean is determined by firmness of lean, firmness of fat, and distribution of external fat. n Yield is evaluated by thickness of backfat and degree of muscling.

+ Feeder Swine Grades n Quality and Yield determine grade n US No. 1 n US No. 2 n US No. 3 n US No. 4 n US Utility n Back fat n US No. 1 - less than 1. 00 inch of BF n US No. 2 - 1. 00 to 1. 24 inches of BF n US No. 3 - 1. 25 to 1. 49 inches of BF n US No. 4 - 1. 50 inches or over of BF n US Utility n Estimated back fat thickness over the last rib and muscling scores are used to determine the official grade

+ Marketing Swine Evaluation n Muscle n Leanness n Structural Correctness n Balance n Growth Potential n Volume

+ Muscle n Refers to meat or meat within each individual market swine n Degrees of muscling are thick, average, and thin n Muscle is bulging and round in shape n Back fat and degree of muscling are used to evaluate live hogs for yield

+ Leanness n Needs to be as lean as they can while maintaining muscle, body volume, growth and structural soundness n When viewing market swine- there are many areas to evaluate for fat disposition n Jowl n Over the Blades n Behind the shoulder n Along the loin edge n The flank n Seam of the ham

+ Structural Correctness n Length of body n Levelness of top n Substance of bone n Soundness of feet and legs n Need to have adequate slope through the shoulder region, loose in their hip or spine and adequate flex to their rear hocks